


Trollhunter's One-shots

by DipStick45



Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon), Trollhunters - Daniel Kraus & Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Changeling Jim Lake Jr, Human/Troll Relationship, Hurt Jim, Minor Jim Lake Jr/Claire Nuñez, Other, Parent Blinky (Trollhunters), Possessed Claire Nuñez, Post-Season 1 (Trollhunters), Post-Season 3 (Trollhunters), Pre-Canon (Trollhunters), Pre-Season 2 (Trollhunters), Troll Jim Lake Jr., Trollhunter Barbara Lake, Trollhunter Claire Nuñez, Trolls
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-06-23 00:34:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15594318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DipStick45/pseuds/DipStick45
Summary: Just a collection of one-shots from one of the best Dreamwork animations out there!





	1. nothing's changed

**Author's Note:**

> please make sure that you have finished the WHOLE series of trollhunters before continuing on. this WILL contain many spoilers. I would also recommend reading these one-shots on my wattpad account, which is also under the name "DipStick45'', only because, each one-shot contains an AMV in the chapter that you don't want to miss.
> 
> but its your choice ;)
> 
> and also, requests are always open!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jim had been waiting for the ball to drop ever since they'd left Arcadia. In other words, he was waiting for Claire to realize that she deserved much better than what he could offer her. That she could actually live a normal life, and not be restricted to the shadows like he would now have to adapt to. That she could be happy with someone who could give her what Jim could no longer provide for her.

Freedom. Happiness. And overall, a normal life. 

Nightfall had stricken a lot sooner than Jim had anticipated. Now that he was forced to adapt and learn to portray the ways of a troll, his sleeping patterns were quite out of whack. The eight long hours of sleep that he would have normally enjoyed now felt like a drag, and believe it or not, was exhausting. Sometime during the middle of the night, Jim had awoken and crouched down by the entrance of his cave, watching the full moon light the earth in its rightful place in the darkened sky. There wasn't a star in the sky that didn't twinkle or sparkle — if only there was such a thing as a wishing star. How he would wish to turn everything back to the way it was in a heartbeat if he could. 

With a defeated sigh, he was almost hesitant to leave the cave. Turning his head, he watched Claire, the girl he was deeply in love with, sleep peacefully behind him in the depths of the cave. From his slanted view, the half-troll could make out her messy hair and disheveled clothing in the darkness, her sleeping position (which seemed oddly uncomfortable), and the broad smile that somehow found a way to her lips while she slept. The sight had him frowning. This was no life for Claire — a life where she couldn't even shower everyday, have a fresh set of clothing, or even have a comfortable bed to sleep in. She was sacrificing almost everything to be here with him, and it just didn't seem fair. 

He felt guilty. Guilty because Jim Lake junior, despite his predicament, felt selfish. He felt like he was practically robbing away the poor girl's life, even though she had chosen to drop everything just to be with him. 

He turned back around, deciding he needed to leave and get some fresh air before he let his thoughts consume him. He huffed a breath, letting the welcoming chilled air of the night bristle his stoned cheeks. Just about ready to leave and not return until sunrise, the trollhunter halted in his tracks when he heard shuffling, and the faint whisper of his name being called. "Jim?"

His shoulders visibly tensed. Slowly but hesitantly, he turned around, his dark shillotte now clearly visible to his sleepy girlfriend. He could still clearly make out her figure with his advanced vision, and he watched her groggily sit up, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to see him more clearly. "What are you doing?" she asks him, a yawn following afterwards, "It's late."

"I know," he spoke softly, his gaze falling away from her's. Jim's previous thoughts slowly began to flow back into his brain, reminding him of all the guilt he had been feeling only moments before. "I just had a lot on my mind and thought I'd get some fresh air." with a reasonable excuse now on the table, he smiles softly — only part of the small gesture being genuine. "You can go back to sleep."

However, Claire was not easily fooled, and despite Jim's suggestion, she stands to her feet and begins to make her way towards him. "Hmmm, not quite buying that," she replies, a hint of sarcasm behind her every word. With a soft smile, she reaches him and places a comforting hand to his shoulder. "What's really going on?"

"Claire, it's late. I don't want to burden you with—"

"It's not up for discussion," she interrupts him, and with a raised eyebrow, she gives him a look she knows he can't refuse. "Talk to me, Jim. What's bothering you?"

Knowing that there was no way he would be able to change her mind, Jim sighs in defeat and lowers himself to the ground. He sits at the edge of the cave's entrance, allowing his feet to dangle over the ledge. Claire follows his actions, also allowing her feet to dangle over the edge with his. Their cave was situated high up in the mountains, which gave the couple an amazing view of the valleys below and the skies above them. Jim had especially picked it out like that. He sighed, his eyes briefly staring down at his troll-like hand before he was back to admiring the stars. "Can I ask you something?" he asks, his voice barely over a whisper.

He feels her hand slide down from his shoulder, resting her palm against his forearm, "Of course, anything." she replies, a worried sense of concern laced her tone of her voice. He couldn't seem to meet her eyes quite yet, even though he could practically feel the burning sensation of her orbs on him. She was worried, and he couldn't blame her. Even he was a bit worried.

Inhaling a deep breath, he asks, "Do you like being here, with me? Do you enjoy living in a cave?" He meets her eyes briefly, his features scattered in distraught, before he turns his gaze ahead again. "Claire, can you honestly tell me that all of this—" he gestures to their surroundings with his troll hand, "—makes you happy?"

Smiling softly, she shakes her head, "Jim, we've been over this—"

"Claire, you have to understand this from my point of view." declares Jim, a pleading look in his eyes as he finally meets her gaze. "This isn't a life for you — sleeping in dirty caves, weekly showers, you could do better than, well, this." He emphasizes the word, specifically pertaining to their predicament and himself. "I'm not me anymore. I-I can't give you what a normal boyfriend is supposed to be able to provide for his girlfriend. It hurts, you know, feeling so useless."

Sympathy washes over Claire's features, but she stays silent, listening to everything he needed to say.  
He lifts his troll hand, glaring at with disgust. "This part of me will only hold you back, Claire. You deserve someone who won't hold you down. You deserve so much better than what I can offer you — you deserve someone better than me."

Immediately, Jim was engulfed into a hug. Claire wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her chest, "Jim," she sniffled, "You are still the same you — no matter what kind of outside changes may have occurred, nothing has changed on the inside." pulling them apart, she still keeps ahold of his shoulders. Their eyes connect almost instantly, and she smiles warmly up at him. "You can't keep beating yourself up over something that wasn't your fault. Becoming half-troll was the only way to save Arcadia, and the fact that you gave up everything just for your friends and family says a lot about you, Jim." Reaching up, she lightly pecked his nose, "No matter where we are or what situations we may be stuck in, being with you—" she reached up to lightly brush away his bangs from his eyes, "—always makes me happy. And I would never trade you for a normal life."

A sense of relief washes over Jim's features. Not only because she was willing to never leave him, but because everything she had said she spoke from her heart. Smiling softly, he tucks a strand of her dark locks behind her ear. "You never cease to amaze me, Claire Nuñez."

She giggles, "I try."

He chuckles, his peripheral vision catching onto the way she lovingly rests her head against his shoulder. He hadn't even noticed it before, but sometime during their somewhat emotional discussion, she had entwined her fingers with his human ones — grasping tightly, as if promising to never let go. Jim sighed contently. As long as Claire was genuinely happy with her new life, then he would be happy.

"I love you, Claire." he whispered, just as the girl drifted off back into a world of sleep. Whether she heard him in that moment or not, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Claire wasn't planning on going anywhere, and that she actually loved him, for him, and wouldn't trade what they had for anything else in this world.


	2. a second chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> right before Jim is sentenced into the deep, he is given the opportunity to turn back time and get a second chance at life - almost like a redo button, but without the amulet in his possession, without his friends and family, and without a purpose. 
> 
>  
> 
> takes place during season 2.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When Jim took his second chance at life without the amulet, he did not expect the world to crumble into ashes. That one little twist in fate would change his destiny, and the destiny of the rest of the people in Arcadia. For once, Jim Lake was thinking about himself for a change. He was being selfish, and because of this, he had doomed the rest of Arcadia with the consequences of his selfishness. 

There he kneeled before the broken amulet of daylight, the source to every known trollhunter's existence shattered to pieces. Kilahead bridge was open, his friends and family were frozen into stone, and Gunnar's reign fell over the city of Arcadia like ashes and fire, burning whatever was left to the ground. Now that Jim had had the chance to reflect on his second chance, why had even wanted one to begin with? He had nothing to live for anymore. His friends were gone, his mother was dead, and soon Arcadia would be nothing but a heap of human bones that Gunmar would use as his thrown. And who was to say that Gunmar would stop there? With Arcadia off of the map, what would stop the evil troll from destroying every other populated area in the world?

The amulet's pieces laid discarded across the museum floor, and their previous trollhunter, Draal, has been slain — stabbed in the back with a sword, a sword almost similar to the sword of daylight. Jim, kneeled at the amulet's discarded remains, rubbing the heel of his palms into the sockets of his eyes — trying to prevent whatever tears were threatening to spill.

This was all his fault.

If Jim would have never let selfishness guide him, this decision to change fate itself would have never been made. There was a reason why the amulet was never passed down to Draal and instead, was given to a human to wield — the first ever human trollhunter. Now, Jim understood why he was chosen instead of Draal. Because now, Jim was living in what would have happened, had he never been chosen. 

The amulet had called to the right person. Jim had just been to idly focused on the present to realize that it would be true in the future. He had let the stress and frustration of his predicament in trollmarket's prison change his perspective on his destiny. He was meant to be a trollhunter, and he was meant to protect the people he loved and cared for, and to protect everyone in Arcadia. Not only were innocent people unknowingly depending on him, but so were all of troll kind, and so we're all of his friends, and even his mother. By changing his fate in a selfish act, he had let them all down. Had proven that he was no hero, and instead, a coward who had abandoned the ones he was meant to protect through their darkest hour. 

He needed to get back. He needed to fix all this. Because Jim Lake Junior would not sit back and allow his town to burn into misery under the reign of Gunmar the Black — the destroyer.

Climbing up onto Draal, the trollhunter drew the sword from his back. Jim Lake Junior would fight for Arcadia, with the amulet or without it, even if it was to the death. 

"If you go out there, you will die." the blue ball of magic returned, the voice of Uncar the unfortunate ringing in his head. But Jim would no longer allow selfishness to lead him astray. Being a trollhunter meant sacrifice, and Jim was willing to sacrifice everything if it meant defeating Gunmar. 

Turning to face the blue ball of magic, Jim points out to the chaos outside. "And if I do nothing, they all will die." Hoisting the sword onto his shoulder, Jim Lake Junior furrows his brow — a determined look spread across his features. "Being a trollhunter means putting others before yourself. Sacrifice. Out there, they need a trollhunter, and a trollhunter fights to the end."

It was the last thing Jim Lake remembered before he was sent back into present time — opening his eyes to where he'd last been, stuck in the trollmarket's prison, and his friends all surrounding him with concerned glances in their eyes. They hadn't understood what had happened to him, and they seemed to have thought he had lost his mind. But Jim was far from loosing his head, instead, he had found it. He had found what his purpose was, what he was meant to do once again. Picking up the amulet that he had thrown to the ground, Jim Lake Junior vowed to never give it up again. Because he was chosen to be a trollhunter, and a trollhunter he would stay, until the end.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this scene really touched my heart. when I first watched what would have happened if Jim had never been the trollhunter, it made me think about how we always take things for granted or wish our lives could be different. we should always appreciate where we were placed in life <3 :)
> 
> thank you for reading!
> 
> kudos?  
> comment?  
> share?
> 
> thanks!
> 
> -Dippy


	3. fatherless father's day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its father's day. the one day - despite his birthday - that Jim can't stand.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> takes place during season 2.
> 
>  
> 
> just some jlaire fluff, because, who doesn't just love all that fluff?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Blink, have you seen Jim?" Peeking her head into Blinkus' study, Claire flashes the six-eyed troll a worried glance. Though today was meant to be a day where children spent the day with their father's, Claire Nuñez was out searching for her boyfriend who had unexpectedly vanished into thin air.

Lifting his six eyes from the book that was occupying all of his attention, Blinky met the eyes of Claire and solemnly shook his head. "I'm afraid not, fair Claire." he gestures for her to come in, and reluctantly, the young girl approaches the troll's desk. "You seem distraught," observes Blinky, setting his book aside, "Tell me, what seems to be the matter?"

Claire worriedly exhales a shaky breath, resting her sweaty palms against the edges of Blinky's wooden desk to sustain her balance. "I've been trying to get a hold of Jim all day today and he's not answering his phone. He didn't come to school today either." With a heaved sigh, the girl worriedly pulls out her phone from her back pocket, hoping to find a missed call from him, or at least a text — a short message letting her know he was okay to put her at ease. But when she is met with a blank screen, and no notifications visible on her lock screen, disappointment resurfaces. "I figured he'd be down here, maybe training or something, but now I'm starting to really worry."

"Hmmm," rubbing his fingers against his stoned chin, Blinky looses himself to his thoughts. "Perhaps Master Jim is with Tobias. Maybe the two went somewhere you were not aware of?" the troll suggests, trying to put some of Claire's worry to ease.

"I guess I could try calling Toby," she pulls out her once again from her back pocket, scrolling through her contacts in search for Toby's name. "Now that you mention it, I only saw him in two of my classes today. We usually have four together." Raising the device to her ear, Claire listens as it rings. Her gaze is still focused on Blinky, who smiles at her reassuringly — an action to help her feel more at ease, to subside her worry. Even though it was somewhat helping, she couldn't help but worry over Jim. He had missed a few of her calls before in the past, but never like this. It worried her greatly.

_"_ _Hey Claire." Toby's voice finally echoed from the other end of the device, and Claire sighed in relief, grateful that he had answered his phone._

"Toby! Thank goodness you answered!" exclaimed Claire, beyond excited.

_"Is something goin on?" He questions, a hint of worry behind his tone._

She chuckles, "Oh, sorry no. Nothing's wrong." switching the device over to her other ear, she asks, "I just wanted to ask you.....have you seen Jim today?"

There was a long pause, one that was way too long in her opinion. Her eyebrows suddenly knit together in confusion when only silence follows, and she receives no response from Toby. "Hello? TP? Are you still there?"

_"Yeah yeah, sorry Claire," the boy replies,_ _"I just-uh....listen umm...." he hesitates, the action causing Claire to grow frustrated._

"What's going on, Toby?" Holding her phone against her ear with both hands, she lowers her voice into a dangerous tone — one that both boys know is not to be messed with.

_She hears him sigh, "Listen Claire, today is a kind of day where Jim.....he he would rather distance himself from everyone else."_

Intrigued, she raises an eyebrow, "Why? Is he alright?"

Another pause, except this one wasn't as long.

_"Wait....he hasn't told you?"_

"Told me what?" confused, Claire pulls her phone closer to her ear (if that was even possible) and knits her eyebrows together in concentration. Realizing that Jim was, in a way, keeping something from her — even after everything they had been through together — was kind of disappointing. Had she not proven to him that she was a trustworthy person, or did he only tell his deepest and darkest secrets to Toby? And no, that wasn't jealousy. It was concern.

_"Claire, today is Father's Day. Jim hates Father's Day. It reminds him of his dad."_

Claire faltered, realization finally flooding in — Jim never spoke of his father. Ever. It was never a topic that came up, and she never bothered to ask. She figured the man maybe passed away, or Jim's parents simply got a divorce.

"Oh," she paused, "Did his dad pass away?"

_"No."_

Deciding not to pry into business that wasn't her's, Claire sighs in defeat, "Can you at least tell me where I might find him?" she pleads. "I'm really worried about him, and I just want to make sure he's okay."

_She heard a groan echo from the other line, "C'mon Claire...." he whines._

"Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee," she begs, drawing out the word longer than it needed to be. The corner of her lips twitched up into a small smile as she heard another groan echo from the other end of the line. Usually, it was easy for Claire to persuade either of the boys to get what she wanted. Internally, she chuckled to herself — those boys had quite the soft spot, especially Jim.

_"Ugh fine! Fine! There's one place where I'm sure he'll be....make sure you write this down....."_

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Toby had given Claire an address. He'd explained over the phone to her the duos' tales in running away from Bular, and a shortcut Jim had insisted they use to escape. Toby embarrassingly pointed out how he almost didn't fit through the tight space, saying the alley way was way too narrow, and NOT because of his weight. (yes, he had clarified that not.) In other words, Claire found herself standing in front of a very tight alley way, a piece of paper clutched in one hand, and her phone in the other.

"Jim?" she called, her eyes narrowing to see if she could spot his figure in the shadows. "Are you in there?"

The sky was beginning to darken, clouds shielding the sun, indicating that rain was soon to come. Far off into the distance, the sounds of rumbling thunder reached ears. She needed to find Jim, and quick. Soaking up whatever courage she had left in her, Claire began to squeeze her way through the tight space, hoping that Jim was where Toby had predicted he'd be.

Sure enough, a figure was hunched over by the sides of the alley way walls, just as Toby had predicted. With his back against the brick structure, his knees pulled almost all the way up to his chest, and his forearms rested against his knees, Jim Lake Junior sat with a pair of headphones over his ears. Music boomed from his phone and into his ears, yet he made no moves to the sound. He sat absolutely still, the blank expression on his face quite chilling to see. Claire had never seen Jim so stoic before in the time that she'd known him — he'd always been happy, smiling at almost anything and everything. Rarely did he ever show any other emotions that didn't include happiness.

As she stepped closer, Jim finally caught onto her presence. He lifted his head, and when he noticed who was standing before him, he removed his headphones and let them rest around his neck. He pulled out his phone from his pocket, pausing the music he had been playing. Yet, he made no move to speak to her first, only staring up at her for a few seconds before his eyes were falling away from hers.

So, Claire took it upon herself to make the first move.

"Jim," she approached him until she was only standing a few feet away from him.

He hesitantly met her gaze once again, the look in his eyes almost completely emotionless. "Hey Claire." he replies, his voice ragged and somewhat hoarse.

Somewhat stressed and disappointed, Claire frowns at him. "Don't _'hey Claire'_ me," with a scolding tone in her voice, she furrows her eyebrows slightly. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you! I've been calling you all day. You even missed school."

Sighing, Jim shifts himself from his seated position on the floor. Instead of keeping his knees tucked to his chest, he stretches them out across the concrete. He meets her eyes for only a second, before he gazes away. But what surprises her the most is when he pats the concrete beside him, beckoning her to come sit down next to him.

Her heart couldn't help but flutter at the action.

Hesitantly, she approaches him, crouching down beside him as she lowers herself into a seated position. With her back now resting against the wall beside him, Jim reaches over for her hand, entwining their fingers together wordlessly — every little action he made not only creating butterflies in her stomach greatly, but washing away whatever angry emotions she was feeling towards him only moments ago.

Eyes cast away, Jim begins to play with her fingers, his thoughts mindlessly adrift. "I'm sorry," he says, sighing, "Today is just one of those days that I absolutely can't stand."

Squeezing his hand, Claire smiles softly, "Jim, if you need someone to talk to, you know I am always here for you."

"I know," though he's not looking at her, she catches onto the way the corner of his lips twitch up into a small smile. He squeezes her hand, his thumb caressing the top of her hand in back-in-forth motions. "But shouldn't you be spending today with your dad?" he asks, meeting her eyes.

"Let's not worry about that right now," smiles Claire.

Though he's still smiling slightly, Jim doesn't respond. Instead, he stays quiet, his eyes wandering from hers as he continues to caress her hand gently. She appreciates the gesture and love from him more than anything, but Claire's curiosity gets the best of her, and she decides to ask him what she's been dreading to know.

"Toby told me that today is really hard for you because of your dad....." starts Claire, her eyes searching his face carefully. "You don't really talk about him much." Jim flinches, his shoulders tensing and his smile fading. Instead he sighs and nods, completely agreeing with her observation. "Did he pass away?" Claire asks, carefully.

Jim shakes his head, sighing, "No, he didn't." gripping Claire's hand tighter, as if for a source of comfort, he uses his other hand to rub his face. "My father left us when I was around five."

Eyes wide, Claire is at loss for words. "Oh." Jim nods, sighing as he tries to find the proper words to explain the situation that had happened almost ten years ago. "My father was never around, Claire, and when he was, he was such a terrible person to my mom." disgust laced his every word as he spoke of his dad — the man left no good taste in his mouth, and he frowns. "He would leave multiple nights in a row, probably off with his side chick or something."

Pain pulled at Claire's heart, and now knowing the truth about what kind of a person Jim's father was made her feel guilty. Guilty for prying.

Still with Claire's hand clutched tightly into his, Jim's smile reappears as a good, yet faded memory returns. "But from the eyes of a four year old, he was the best guy ever. He would take me go cart racing, and every other Sunday we'd go out for ice cream."

Claire chuckles lightly at this, in which Jim copies the action.

But suddenly, he frowns again as the terrible memories of his father return. "For my fifth birthday, my father bought me a bike set. I remember being so excited to put it together, and my father had promised me we'd build it together."

Sighing, Jim hangs his head, and instead of anger, he felt more sadness than ever. "But the next day, the man just vanished. No sight of where he'd gone. The bike pieces laid in our garage for years until I was about twelve, when I sold them myself to buy me a bigger bike."

Now feeling internally guilty for trying to pry such heavy information out of her boyfriend when he was clearly hurting, Claire hung her head as well. "I'm so sorry, Jim." she mumbles, clearly ashamed, "I should have never asked....I shouldn't have pried."

He looks up to meet her gaze, only to find her head hung in defeat, her eyes downcast. However, Jim smiles slightly. "Claire, you were worried. It's okay to be worried." he assures, resting a comforting hand to her knee, rubbing it gently.

She looks up, hopefully, "Really?"

Grinning, he nods, "Of course."

With a small smile played out across her lips, Claire embraces him into a tight hug. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulls him to her chest, and Jim responds by wrapping his arms around her waist. Resting his head on her shoulder, Jim inhales a deep breath, happily enjoying the scent of Claire's shampoo. Maybe having someone to bring you comfort through your troubling times is better than trying to solve everything on your own.

"Thank you for sharing that with me, Jim." she mumbles over his shoulder, her embrace tightening affectionately around him.

His smile only widens, "Thank you for listening."

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always wondered how Jim dealt with certain holidays without his father around, like Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc. though Jim's father is barely mentioned of and apparently barely had a role in Jim's life, I genuinely wondered how Jim dealt with father's day - since he had no father to celebrate. hence, the creation of this one-shot.
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!
> 
>  
> 
> -Dippy


	4. return of the devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's father returns to Arcadia, and Jim isn't sure if he should be thrilled, devastated, or angry at the man who had abandoned his family nearly ten years ago. Or maybe, all Jim needed was to hear the other side of the story.

A sudden knock had emanated from their front door that night, striking Jim to pause in the midst of washing dishes, and turn his attention towards the sound. He quirked an eyebrow in response, dried his hands upon a kitchen rag, and reached into his back pocket to pull out his phone. Checking the time, Jim frowned when it read nine thirty.

It was late, and surely his mother wasn't expecting any company.

Jim turned the corner, slowly approaching the door in a cautious manner. His mother had gone to bed long ago, and with being a trollhunter, Jim faced and challenged many foes. He could never be too careful. With a heavy sigh, Jim's hand hovered over the doorknob hesitantly.

Another knock occurred.

Jim exhaled, and slowly but surely, twisted the knob and opened the door. Upon the other side of the door stood a man, figure lean and dressed in clothes Jim would have considered as rags. His face was covered in scars, and more coincidentally, his beard was unshaven and unclean - a detail that reminded Jim distinctly of his.... well, his father.

And suddenly, it all seemed to click. Jim eyes widened, unable to contain their shock. This couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

"James?" His suspicions were confirmed when the man dared to utter a name Jim no longer went by - a name in which Jim had long forgotten after his father had disappeared, and completely hated. The last thing Jim wanted was to carry the same name of a man who had abandoned his family. His father, James Lake Sr, stood before their doorway with a look of sympathy spread across his features, as if coming to beg for redemption and forgiveness, and whole heartedly receive it.

_Well,_ Jim thought to himself. _Too late. Ten years too late._

_"You,"_ Seethed Jim, unable to contain his gratifying anger. His father was here. Here at his house. Standing right in front of him. And Jim wanted nothing more than to dawn daylight on the man.

Frowning deeply, Jim went to slam the door shut, only to have his father prevent the action, stepping forward to use his foot as a door stop. "James, wait, just let me explain-"

"That's not my name anymore." Interrupts Jim, frown prominent. "I go by Jim now. But then again, you wouldn't know that since you've been absent for most of my life." Bitterly, Jim stares straight into the eyes of the man he'd thought he'd never see again. More importantly, a pair of eyes in which, as a child, Jim thought belonged to a man who loved and cherished his family.

Apparently, things change, people move on, and feelings shift.

"Let me explain....Jim," His father tests the name out on his tongue. "Please."

Rolling his eyes, Jim scoffs. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

"Well, maybe you _need_ to hear what I have to say." Insists his father. Despite that Jim wanted nothing more than to slam the door in his father's face, the man was somewhat right. Maybe Jim did need an explanation as to why his father left in the first place, and why he suddenly had returned after so many years.

Maybe, he just needed some closure.

Sighing defeated, Jim's frowned deepened. He opened the door wider, allowing his father to enter into their home. "Thank you." James replied as he stepped inside, smiling widely as if he'd just been accepted back into their loving home. However, Jim was far from returning that smile.

_Ha,_ He wanted to spat allowed, but restricted his tongue. _Think again, old man._

Jim shut the door behind his father, locking it once more as he watched the man trail into the living room, finding a comfortable spot to situate himself upon the couch. Once Jim had slowly joined in the living room, he found his father absently admiring the place from his spot on the couch. "Wow," His father mused, more to himself than anyone. "This place hasn't changed at all."

Jim, who was still overly uncomfortable being in the same room with his father, situated himself in an adjacent spot across the couch. "What are you doing here?" He asked, quite aggressively.

James turned to meet his son's gaze, still smiling slightly. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions-"

"Actually, I only have one." Interrupts Jim, unamused and his arms crossed above his chest. "I only want to know why you're here, right now."

James sighed somewhat defeated, his smile slowly fading into nonexistence. Maybe he'd been expecting some sort of redemption from his son, but Jim was not that easily forgiving. Especially when Jim knew, this person in particular didn't deserve a single inch of forgiveness. "I returned so that I could warn you," Admits James in all seriousness. "Of what is coming your way. I figured, with you being the trollhunter and all, you'd like a fair warning."

Jim's eyes widened, and he abruptly stood to his feet, intending to create a bit more distance between him and the man who had unexpectedly returned into his life. How did his father know he was the trollhunter, let alone even know what a trollhunter was? "H-how do you know that?" Stuttered Jim, completely bewildered.

"So, it is true." His father remarks, as if he had been unsure beforehand. However, the man didn't seem shocked at all to have his suspicions confirmed - that his son, Jim, was the trollhunter, an overall protector of all troll and human kind alike. Something humans weren't supposed to know.

"Now I really don't know why you're here, but if you're not out of my house in five seconds, let's just say I'll be dawning daylight." Jim warned, the amulet in hand as he held it behind his back, ready to call forth his armor. If his father, the one man who had no important significance in his life, knew of his trollhunting duties, then it could only mean one thing. His father was either stalking him or... his father was somehow connected to the troll world.

James shook his head calmly. "Relax boy, I'm not here to harm you. "

Jim however, wasn't entirely convinced. "Then what are you here for?"

"I told you: to warn you."

With the amulet still grasped in between his fingertips, Jim narrowed a brow. "To warn me about what? Nothing you're saying is really adding up."

"To warn you about what the changelings are planning." His father explains, timidly. "That they have acquired all the pieces to Kilahead bridge, and are now attempting to take your amulet."

Jim gasped slightly, knitting his eyebrows together confusingly. "But that doesn't make any sense. How would you even know all of this? Unless...unless..."

Unless, his father was a changeling.

Now fully aware and alert on what was unfolding before him, Jim brought the amulet out to view, holding it up at eye level with his father. "Unless... You're a changeling! I knew something was off about you!"

"Keep your voice down!" His father warned in a hushed tone, raising his hands to try and calm his son down. "You don't want to wake up your mother-!"

"And how do you know my mother is asleep?! You've been stalking me, haven't you?" Frightened at these new revelations, Jim backed away from his father, creating even a greater distance between them. How could any of this be possible? How could his father be a changeling, and how could his mother have not known? And suddenly, another thought uplifted. Had his father left because he was a changeling?

"I haven't been stalking you, Jim. I've been keeping tabs on my son." James explains. "In the best way I could, I wanted to watch you grow up."

Jim couldn't help but scoff at that. "Yeah, right. How do I know you're not lying? You just admitted to being a changeling... how do I know you're not here to simply steal the amulet yourself?"

"Why would I purposely expose the changelings' plan if I was loyal to the Janus Order?" James retorts in response.

In all truth, his father did make a fair point.

But that still didn't mean Jim trusted the man.

"You have to believe me," His father pleads. "The changelings will not stop until the bridge is complete, and Stricklander will not hesitate to kill you if he has to - which is why I came here to warn you."

Jim could only gape at the man who was considered his father. "Strickler?"

"Yes, your history teacher, Mr. Strickler, is a changeli-"

"Yeah, I already know that!" Dismisses Jim. "I figured that out a while ago. What I don't get is why you suddenly needed to warn me."

"Because Stricklander has threatened to kill you." His father explains with a slight whimper. "And I couldn't just stand by and watch him murder my son."

Something pained Jim's heart. Maybe it was because, he somewhat felt for the man sitting in his living room, or maybe because this had been the first time he'd ever witnessed his father care for him, in a loving, fatherly type of way. Despite the circumstances.

"Okay," Jim replied slowly, yet unsurely. "Then what can I do?"

His father sighed, almost as if relieved that his son had taken his word. "You need to be prepared for any ambush. Try not to go anywhere alone. They will strike when you are least expecting it."

Jim nodded slowly, contemplating his father's words. Despite the odd silence that had suddenly fallen upon the two of them, Jim couldn't help but intensely stare into his father's eyes, and James Lake Sr wasn't planning on looking away anytime soon either. Wordlessly, a father and his son had an intense stare down in Barbra's living room, each contemplating on their own thoughts privately. Until Jim decided to once again break the silence. "So, have you always been a changeling?"

He hadn't meant to be so blunt upon the topic, but Jim needed to know.

James sighed almost sadly. "Yes, I have."

"And yet, you married a human?" Regrettably, James met his son's gaze, only to find, Jim irises were filled with nothing but hurt.

"I did," His father admits. "And not very many people knew of our marriage. We eloped, you see. Though your mother wanted a proper wedding, I never had the courage to tell her why I didn't." He explained sadly. "None of the other changelings knew I was in a relationship with a human. When I met Barbra, I had been in the middle of trying to escape the Order. I guess, marrying her was partially an escape for me, but the other part was, I had truly fallen in love with her."

Jim simply rolled his eyes. He hadn't asked for a life story, and Jim was beginning to consider everything his father told him was nothing but nonsense, or maybe sickly romantic. Either way, it didn't excuse his father's disappearance. "And what about when you left? Did you not consider the fact that you were leaving your wife behind, and your five year old kid?" Jim asked, slightly annoyed with the topic at hand, though he had been the one to bring it up.

"I never wanted to leave." His father admits sadly, though Jim wasn't sure if he entirely believed it. "I loved your mother with all of my heart, and when she told me she was pregnant, I had an even deeper love for her. You see, I'd always wanted a kid, but I was mostly nervous for how you would grow up."

Jim raised an eyebrow, somewhat intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm a changeling - as you know - and your mother is, well, human." James explained. "Our anatomy each differed greatly. I wasn't sure if you would grow up to be human, troll, or maybe even both."

Thoughtfully, Jim hummed, his eyes curiously examining his hand in which the amulet rested. Did that mean, Jim actually had troll blood in his veins? Imagine if Blinky were to hear such a conspiracy. "But as I was saying," His father continued, regrettably. "The reason I left was to protect you and your mother from a threat I could no longer contain. When the Janus Order discovered my betrayal, they threatened my family. I had no choice but to leave for your safety. If I stayed away and re-allied myself with the Order, they would look over my treason. So long as I vowed myself to a life of serving Gunmar."

Jim couldn't believe what he was hearing. All this time, his father had been protecting them from changeling kind? "So, you didn't run off with your affair to Vermont?"

Also another blunt question, yet Jim really didn't care at this point.

James' eyes widened in horror. "Oh dear, is that what you've thought this whole time?"

"It doesn't matter," Jim dismisses, disregarding the topic any further. In fact, he wanted nothing more to do his with his father any more. The man had served his purpose and successfully completed his so called 'quest'. James Lake Sr had warned his son of what life threatening dangers were yet to come, but, that didn't necessarily mean that Jim would be welcoming the man back into his life with open arms. "All that matters now is that you've completed your mission, which means you can leave now."

James immediately stood to his feet. "But Jim-"

Jim stood as well, raising a hand to silence his father. "Listen, I don't know what you were expecting when you decided to come here, but if you came here expecting me to just be suddenly forgiving towards you, then you thought wrong. You may have done good tonight, but I can't simply welcome you back into my life - a life in which you haven't been in for Ten. Whole. Years." He emphasizes.

Defeated, James sighed heavily, "I understand."

Jim nodded curtly, than added, "I need time to think about all this - you need to give me time."

James looked up to meet his son's eyes, almost pitifully - as if the action would somehow get Jim to change his mind. "How much time?"

And that was a good question, because even Jim didn't know how long he needed. Had ten years not been enough? But then again, throughout those ten years, Jim had nothing but questions in need of answers. And now that Jim had the answers, he needed time to process them - enough time to consider if his father deserved a second chance. If Jim even wanted to give the man a second chance. "I-I'm not sure." Admits Jim, truthfully.

James nods sadly in response, allowing his gaze to drift away from his son and instead, rest in his lap. After a beat of hushed silence, James Lake Sr fastened the buttons once again on his cloak, and tipped his hat to his son. "Well, I should probably get going." Pulling out a pen from his back pocket, James attempted to scribble out a code of numbers upon a small notepad that had been left on the Lake's coffee table. He tore out the paper he'd scribbled on, and hesitantly, handed it to his son. "Whenever you're ready, give me a call. I hope that somewhere in your heart you'll find a place to forgive me, and hopefully, give me a chance to start anew."

Hesitantly, Jim took the piece of paper from his father's hand, looking down at the number James had provided. With a curt nod, Jim smiled slightly. Maybe (and that was a big maybe), Jim could learn to forgive his father, and when the time came, maybe even give the man a second chance to be a better man, and a better father.

As James approached the front door on his own, he turned back to face his son, and gently said, "You know, I'm proud that you're the trollhunter. You fit the role well, son."

And genuinely, Jim smiled in return, watching as his father nodded in appreciation and opened the front door of the Lake residence, excusing himself from the home for the night. As the door shut behind the man, and Jim was left once again alone in his home, he pondered over the events that had just occurred. And somehow, he began to find it a little easier to forgive and move forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always wondered what exactly happened to Jim's father, and a lot of theories revolve around the idea of James Lake Sr possibly being a changeling. (though there is no evidence to prove this, it could be a possibility.) or, simply Jim's father could of had an affair like Toby describes, and run off to Vermont. Who knows. Maybe as the trilogy of Tales of Arcadia develops, we will discover more about Jim's father.
> 
> anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one-shot!


End file.
